This invention relates to the field of quick acting pneumatic or hydraulic valves. Such valves may be used for admitting fluid under pressure to a pneumatic or hydraulic component which operates on such fluid pressure in a first position of the valve; and for permitting the pressurized fluid to escape from the pneumatic or hydraulic component to effect a depressurization thereof when the valve is in a second position.
As discussed in my co-pending application Ser. No. 417,707, now abandoned, such valves find particular application in rail car braking systems wherein they are useful for depressurizing portions of the brake actuating system to prevent slipping or skidding of the rail car wheels during braking. In applications such as that disclosed in Ser. No. 417,707, now abandoned, a large number of such valves are used in a given train, each valve being individually actuated by a solenoid. In such slip prevention applications, each valve in the rail car is actuated using power from a local power supply such as a chargeable battery located in each car. In other applications, such as in the electrically operated brake system disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,545,816 the valves through-out the train may be actuated from a single power source. In such brake actuation applications, the electrical operating characteristics of the valve are critical, since very high power requirements for each solenoid operated valve would require the use of a large power source located in the forward car of the train and very heavy guage conductors running aft through the train, in order to insure that each solenoid operated valve from the front to the rear of the train receives adequate power for its actuation. Known types of solenoid valves suitable in some respects for this type of service are found to be unsatisfactory due to the excessive amounts of electrical power required for their operation and to the slowness of their response to a control signal.
It is an object of this invention to provide a solenoid actuated valve assembly which produces a maximum valve actuating force and, yet, requires a minimum operating power for adequate valve operation.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a valve assembly in which a minimum amount of actuating force is required to operate the valve and, yet, the valve will remain properly seated at all times.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a valve assembly in which the force required to actuate the valve may be easily adjusted.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a solenoid actuated valve assembly in which the amount of valve opening provided by the solenoid may be easily adjusted, thereby simultaneously adjusting the power required to actuate the valve.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a valve assembly having a valve carrier slidably received in a central bore of a valve body, a valve washer assembly mounted for movement with the carrier and means associated with the valve washer assembly for insuring full contact between the valve washer assembly and a valve seat located within the central bore of the valve body, regardless of random motion or wobble of the valve carrier within the central bore.